


This World is Enough

by FanGirlyGlee



Series: Legends Vignettes [21]
Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Gen, coie, death due to destruction of multiverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-02-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:07:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22839781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanGirlyGlee/pseuds/FanGirlyGlee
Summary: Why is Earth 74's Mick so weird around Ray?
Series: Legends Vignettes [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/972090
Comments: 8
Kudos: 22





	This World is Enough

Despite the clear danger to the multiverse Ray found it difficult contain his curiosity about the Legends of Earth 74, but he’d had no luck prying information out the ship’s AI, patterned amazingly well after Leonard Snart. It was clear that the Mick he knew best and this other Mick had a fair amount in common. Both appeared to have had their rough exteriors worn down by their experiences as Legends, revealing that they were essentially good-hearted men. Unfortunately alt-Mick was just as tight-lipped as his Earth 1 counterpart. Drawing him into a conversation was like pulling teeth. Ray was pleased to find tools and parts he needed on the Waverider and was piling them onto a cart. “Hey did I – other me- ever get this to work right?” he asked, picking up a copy of his anti-magic gun. Mick’s only response was to sip his beer and continue pacing to soothe baby Jonathan to sleep. 

Later Ray tried again. “It’s great you’re taking care of the ship. Someone ought to, even if the Legends are retired. I hate to think of it rusting in a junkyard.”

Mick shrugged. “S’home,” he acknowledged. 

“Maybe once we defeat the anti-Monitor we can take it for a spin and check up on the rest of the team. I don’t know how often you see each other.”

“I see you all the time, Haircut,” Mick replied in a quiet voice.

Ray breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good. I was starting to worry that maybe we weren’t friends in this universe. You know my Mick is a writer too. He didn’t tell me for a long time, until I saw fan mail in his laundry basket. We do laundry together sometimes. Actually, Mick hates it when I touch his clothes, but he leaves it in the dryer for hours, and never remembers to empty his pockets.”

Prattling on, Ray worked on the paragon detector while Mick muttered variations of “Hmm” and “Uh-huh” at appropriate intervals.

To Ray’s dismay, the detector still wasn’t working the way he wanted it to. Something was missing. He decided to take a quick walk around the ship, letting his mind wander. He was surprised to find that Martin’s room had never been cleared out, and there was no chore wheel in the kitchen. Maybe alt-Ray wasn’t as much of a stickler for keeping the ship clean. Passing the med-bay he noticed that a section had been blocked off. He took a step toward the curtain only to hear a sharp, “Ahem.”

“Hoo-Gideon, you scared me. Oh, I’m sorry, I mean Leonard.”

“That area is off limits,” the ship’s AI informed him. 

“Oh, er, why?” 

“What would be the point of a restricted area if I just told you what was in it, Doctor Palmer?”

“Good point. Sorry. I’ll, uh, ask Mick I guess if I really want to know.”

Leonard’s response was cryptic. “I don’t recommend it. Oh good, the caped crusaders have returned and you’re going to want to see who they brought back with them.”

Ray was delighted to see Caitlin and Cisco, and get their help, and confessed his concern about Sara and John Constantine’s efforts to bring Oliver back from the dead. “Sara more than anyone ought to know you can’t cheat death without consequences.” 

“They’re not ready to say goodbye,” Caitlin said.

“Shouldn’t have to,” alt-Mick muttered. “Stupid magic.”

“It’s not all bad. After all you became a totem-bearer.” The older man man frowned and stalked off.

As soon as he could Ray went looking for Mick, who was checking on the baby in the library. “Something’s bothering you,” Ray said with certainty. “At first I thought you were on edge because you don’t like so many new people in your space, but now I think it’s me. You won’t talk to me and you’d really like to pretend I’m not here which usually means…-“

“Stop it,” Mick hissed. “You’re not him. I know that. It was cute at first seeing how much talk like it, but you have to shut up now. When Hairbrained showed up she said beer and adventure and I don't even want the adventure. I’ll watch the baby, because someone has to, but that’s it.”

Computer-generated Snart spoke up. “You can’t hide out here on the ship forever, Mick.”

“Can too,” Mick grumbled. “Can do whatever I want. I’m retired.”

“How long do you think Hunter is going to let you…”

“Hunter owes me!” he roared, his face red. 

“I’m sorry, Mick,” Ray said earnestly. “Once this is all over we’ll leave you in peace.”

Leonard actually snorted.

Mick’s brow furrowed. “You’re just like him. You won’t stop until I make you so come and see why the Legends called it quits.” The lump in Ray’s throat made him regret ever asking, but at least Mick was talking. “For three years I watched you try every day to be the best version of yourself. You wanted to bring that out in everyone you met. Hell, it worked more often than it should have, but not on everyone. Dammit Lenny, show him.”

“Sure thing, partner.” AI Len started the bridge display. “You see, Doctor Palmer, Nora Dahrk took the news of her father’s death badly. Blinded by rage, she attacked Raymond. The Legends returned from defeating Mallus to find what they’d lost.” A recording obtained with the Waverider’s interior cameras showed Ray Palmer lying motionless on the deck. The team, including Rip Hunter, still dressed their Old West attire, were horrified. Mick dropped to his knees and scooped the tall man's limp body into his arms. “Haircut?” His voice cracked. “Come on, don’t leave me like this.” 

Ray looked up to find that Mick had walked away and he could guess where he’d gone. Len continued providing information. “Raymond’s brain was been without oxygen for too long for Gideon to revive him. Mick and John Constantine went looking for Miz Dahrk. Neither will say what happened, but that was it for the Legends. They couldn’t continue without Raymond. Their hearts just weren’t in it anymore.”

Ray found Mick in the med-bay, the curtain pulled back to reveal a gray-skinned emaciated version of himself hooked up to various monitors and machines. “I couldn’t let you go,” Mick whispered as he brushed the comatose man’s hair from his face. 

The anti-matter wave swept through the ship, undoing reality.

Xxx

Ray did his best to explain what he could remember of the Crisis, courtesy of J’onn’s telepathic download, to the Legends. “I wonder if Earth-74 still exists,” Ray mused aloud. “I don’t even know if we can travel the multiverse now. Sara says we met Mick. I wish I could remember what he was like.”

Mick shook his head. “Don’t sweat it, Haircut. Long as I have beer I’m sure I’m fine.”

Nate shivered. “All that alternate universe stuff gives me the heebie-jeebies. What if there’s one where we’re enemies?”

“Or we’re all chicks,” Mick suggested.

Behrad laughed. “Or anthropomorphic animals.”

Mick coughed. “Furry.”

Behrad glared at him. "For the last time, it was a Halloween costume." 

Ray smiled. “I guess I’ll be happy with the universe we’ve got.”

**Author's Note:**

> I had a lot of What-Ifs pop into my head during Crisis and unfortunately most of them got lost when it was over except for this one.


End file.
